NEW BEGINNINGS...
Edition 68. September 2024
“And suddenly you just know it’s time to start something new and trust in the magic of beginning.” Meister Eckhart
We grow up learning to be afraid of new beginnings...
of anything new
of the unknown
We are taught that while starting fresh may be the best thing for us, no one tells us it’s going to be so hard and painful.
Somewhere along the way, we succumb to the idea that new beginnings should scare us and so, our desire to go out on a limb or to experience something we’ve never experienced before, shrinks and fades away.
How often have you thought of trying something new, only to give up in the face of fear? How many times have you wanted to start writing that book you’ve always wanted to write or get going with that home project that you’ve been postponing forever? But how many times did you persuade yourself that you shouldn’t go through with it? How many times did you fall prey to the negativity that it’s going to be...
too complicated
too hard to get the hang of it
just not worth it
How often did you convince yourself to listen to what your head was telling you...
to stay right where you are
...despite that feeling in your chest that was urging you...
to just jump
More often than not, we give into our fear of new beginnings. But giving in denies us the experience of all the amazing things this world has to offer. Giving in stops us from reaching our full potential. And, truth be told, it keeps us from having fun.
We tend to forget that beyond all the complications and all the roadblocks, all the things that might and could and probably will go wrong...
we could be enjoying it
We are creatures of habit...make no mistake about it! More often than not we find comfort and even security in keeping things exactly as they are...
Status Quo
Not changing helps us cope with and navigate the stormy seas of life that we already have before us...
Comfort zones
Does this describe you and your approach to life? Most people would answer yes.
If you are one who did answer yes, you may be comfortable in your comfort zone...but there is a caveat here that you may be missing. Unless personal development is not a goal for you, by living in comfort zones and maintaining the status quo, you will never, ever grow as a person...
You will not develop if you don’t seek new opportunities.
You will not improve if you don’t rise to new challenges!
Every new day brings with it fresh ideas, exciting challenges and fabulous new beginnings. They are right there awaiting you, if you open yourself up to them. Every single morning, you wake up to an invitation to live a life of complete engagement...to be part of the dance and sing along with the music. It is ushered in by the sunrise or the sound of a songbird singing outside your window…or in any number of other ways. It's an invitation to actually live...
to fully participate in this amazing life for one more day
How many times have you unconsciously turned down this invitation? How many times have you awakened numb to the beauty around you because you rise with the regrets of a failed yesterday or the fears of an uncertain tomorrow? How many times have you allowed yourself to be distracted by refusing to forgive...or for not being grateful...or for getting wrapped up with fear or envy?
In my own past I must confess that I have had opportunities present themselves that would have, in retrospect, changed my life forever...for the better. But out of fear of change I came up with any excuse I could find to tell myself that this particular new opportunity wasn’t for me...
It’s just not the right time!
I’m too busy already!
I don’t have the money!
I’m happy the way things are
I did not realize it at the time, but I had developed a really nasty habit of automatically saying no to most things. I must have turned down and missed out on hundreds of great opportunities, for purely sub-conscious, even unconscious, reasons. The day a dear friend of mine pointed this out to me I made a conscious decision to say yes more often.
Today, I’d like to be that dear friend to you. I’d like to at least turn your attention toward your propensity for saying no to most things and ask you to take a good long look at your reasoning for doing so. When you say yes to a new challenge or opportunity...
You are empowering yourself
You are telling yourself that you believe in your skills, in your passion, and your abilities
You are actually lighting that fire of opportunity
You will be amazed at how far the light of that fire travels! And in this new light, the new connections you make, the new skills you develop and the new experiences you have will fill you with the confidence you need and open doors that you never knew existed.
If today’s message is of interest to you, you no doubt have questions, the first of which is...
“How do you I get started?”
My answer to this question is no different than it is to any other change(s) you might want to make...
Just make the decision to start anew!
The current condition of the life that you are living right now is the sum total of all the decisions you have made...
(or failed to make)
and all the actions you have taken...
(or not taken)
as a result of those decisions.
Your decisions and your actions are a result of your values and your beliefs
Your values and your beliefs are a result of your thinking
If you want to change any of your values or beliefs, it begins with changing the what and the how of your thoughts.
How new opportunities will find you and pan out all depends on your mindset and where you are in your life at this point in time. Sometimes, what you need to do first is to hunker down and focus on yourself...
on your own health and your own happiness
You need to concentrate on getting yourself together. You must make time to care for yourself mentally, physically and spiritually such that you can live your best life...
Putting your mental and physical health first is the starting point.
Listening to yourself and following your instincts will have powerful and positive effects on many aspects of your life. This includes your ability to notice, accept and make the most of new opportunities as they arise.
If you are feeling held back by other things in your life, chances are you may not see the many wonderful opportunities that exist right now, right here in front of your eyes. Start by making these three decisions...
I will take care of myself
I will do what I must to truly know myself
I resolve to respect myself
Do this and I promise you will be on your way to becoming an expert at seeing and accepting these wonderful opportunities that you never noticed before. You will get a much clearer picture of...
where you are
where you could be
where you would like to be
Opening yourself up to new opportunities requires your involvement...it does not happen in a vacuum. If you don’t participate, the status quo continues.
Having the proper mindset is perhaps the most important factor. You must first make the decision to be open to these new challenges and opportunities and then commit to following through...
You and you alone are solely responsible for your own happiness
Make the decision to be more open to new opportunities and change. Better to have failed trying to do something and learning from it, than to never do anything different in life.
We all get caught up in the routines, the ruts and the rigmarole of our lives at times.
Admit it!
But this does not mean you can’t be open to opportunities and challenges when they present themselves.
If your first reaction and response to a new opportunity is normally to say no...stop!
Give it a second, even a third thought
Weigh its pros and its cons
If it is something you have wanted to do and it might change your life and if it won’t hurt you, do it!
Say yes!
Saying yes to things is a great way to take advantage of opportunities when they become available. When a fantastic opportunity comes along, one you would not have noticed before you made your commitment to being open to new things, say yes...
and be excited about it
Don’t wait for the perfect time or place or condition to come along. You should know by now perfection does not exist. There is quite literally no time like the present. The opportunity that is presenting itself may never come to you again...
Be Bold!
It’s important to take a chance on some things sometimes, even if you don’t know what the exact outcome is going to be. The level of risk you are willing to take is up to you. But don’t wait for all the exact details to fall into place before leaping at an opportunity...
Too much delay may allow it to slip away
You just need to know enough to understand your options and what level of commitment or sacrifice is needed...
Say yes and see what unfolds!
By not doing the things you wouldn’t normally do, you will never know what great things can come out of simple moments.
I want also to touch on new beginnings that are brought about by old endings...when something has run its course, or someone leaves in one way or another and it is time to say goodbye. Sometimes goodbyes can be horrifically painful, especially if we are saying it to someone we loved or relied upon. Someone who played an important role in our life.
I want you to look at it this way, if you will...
Behind every goodbye is the chance to experience a new beginning. It may be hard at first, and the pain of letting go may seem too impossible to face. But there is a certain beauty behind the unexpected transitions in life.
You may not know what lies ahead, but what’s important is you choose to keep walking. When the time is right, the reasons why you need to say goodbye to certain people or opportunities will be clearly revealed. You may not want to accept them, but they will be there.
You may not understand your situation at the time, but the courage you have inside is more than enough for you to survive what lies ahead of you...
Trust in it the process
Yes, you will need to exert another effort and yes, you must go through more adjustments, but it is of immense help if you stay focused on your hopes, your goals and your dreams.,,
Believe in the outcome
Saying goodbye is usually sad, but it’s not always bad. Life pushes us to grow, and sometimes it means we need to let go of certain things or even certain people. We are scared because it can be a hard decision to make, and we don’t know what’s waiting for us on the other side. But it’s the only way for us to learn new things and become strong enough to handle bigger blessings.
The greatest thing about new beginnings is not that they are an open door, but that we get to decide what’s on the other side of it. They are the moments when we get to take the helm of life into our own hands and steer our ship in the direction we want.
At the end of the day, there’s no better position you could find yourself in than at the beginning of a new path, stretching out endlessly, filled with possibility and adventure.
There’s no place more magical or wondrous than standing on the edge of a cliff, right before you’re about to jump into what could prove to be the best and most rewarding experience of your life.
This very thing happened to me when I decided to give up everything I’d created in America and follow my heart here to Italy. The vast unknown before me seemed scary, but I chose to see it as a blank canvas; ready to become whatever I wanted to make of it.
There are blessings behind the changes in your life. You may not see them at the time because you feel sad or disappointed. But trust me...once you accept that change is inevitable and the only constant thing in this world, you will slowly learn to value every moment of every day of every season that you are alive.
It takes patience and effort because you are forced to adjust to the changes around you. But you will overcome everything as long as you believe in yourself and make your thinking big enough for God to fit in.
You will learn to treasure new beginnings.
If you’re looking for something different for yourself and don’t know where to begin, a good place to start would be to read my best-selling book, THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE. It is 365 days of inspiration and motivation designed to change your life for the better. And it works! It is available in paperback and digital Kindle formats on all amazon outlets worldwide and by shopping in our bookstore here at www.gicominonicolazzo.com.
Diana and I are anxious to hear your thoughts and comments on today’s message. We established a Facebook group, THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE, so that anyone who joins can find safe harbor to speak freely…to offer their advice or share their wisdom and to take away what they might need in order to live a better, healthier, happier and more abundant life...
If you don’t participate, we cannot accomplish our mission
Please join us. Please join the conversation. READ THE BOOK! Invite your friends and family and co-workers to do the same. The bigger we grow, the more help we can provide for each other.
Thanks for staying with me today. See you next month.
Gia
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